Hay Bubba John,
I managed to get the first light dusting of paint onto the fuselage. It took a bit of time to tape everything up and get the model ready to paint. The instructions by Vikie, stated to do several very light coats...only. So my first coat went on the fuselage today. I plan on taking 6~8 coats for a light coating of white. Then I will need to let it sit for a couple of day's...then remove the stencils, very carefully. I've never used stencils before...so this has been interesting and challenging. I am waiting several hours between very light coats and slowly build up the color. After I am finished with all the decals on the fuselage...I'll over spray one light coat of clear, to seal everything. I will let it sit a couple of day's...then install all the radio stuff. I would have had the top of the wing painted...but I just didn't have the time tonight. Tomorrow night I'll get to the wing.

Laying the stencils down was a trip all into its own. Once the stencils are laid down...and before you remove the front clear coving from the yellow stencil...you can carefully pull the stencil off of the airframe...and position it properly a second time. Tell me how I found out about this... : )

Hay Bubba John,
Well, I managed to get 7 (seven) light coats of white paint to cover the dark blue proper. The sixth coating had 12 hours to dry, then applied a light seventh coating. With the seventh coat on...I waited about 20 minutes, then pulled the stencils off the airframe. I found that when you apply your last coat, it also kind of loosens up the edges of the paint a bit, so when you pull off the tape and stencils...you get real clean lines. My stencils came out awesome and very pleased with Vikies product. I then placed the dry transfer kill markings...and they went on really sweet and nice. I have the small number to paint onto the rudder, just below the arrow and the wing to paint. It looks so good...I could kiss a mule's hind end.

Hi Guys,
I was able to get two coats of paint on the top of the wing today. Tomorrow I will get two more coats on if I can and looking forward to installing the air system on the wing.

TBM has a new three bladed hub/propeller available. Its just like the "Solo" prop & hub @ 1/4 the cost. It will come with three propeller blades and the hub. It will fit the DLE and PTE 36 series engines...and twenty five bucks more the 17 x 10 TBM sells. Extra propeller blades are $20.00 a pop and I think that is a bit expensive-maybe in time the price will come down. But for now, I've one coming and they will ship it with my new engine. The hub is a direct fit for the PTE and DLE engines and the hub is adjustable from 6~12 degrees of pitch. I was told that a PTE 36R and the DLE 35R should have the pitch set at 12 deg. and will have 16" diameter. So a 16 x 12 three bladed prop for my F6F. Now I did buy half a dozen 18 x 8 and 19 x 8 two bladed props...and once I feel confident with my skills flying this model, I'll try the new three blade system. The props are painted black and each single blade is replaceable.

Simply Awesome Bobby. I agree with glazier808's comment. That guy that sold the hellcat will be sooooo envious!! Really nice work. Are you planning to weather the plane or let nature take its own course? Cant wait to see this bird in the air!!!

Hay Bubba John,
I finished painting the top of the wing and it came out just great. I attached the wing to the fuselage...and took some pictures. While the wing was on, I marked and measured, for the pilot wing walk. I painted it "hammered" - finish, satin black. It came out great too and the paint looks rough...but just how this paint lays down. I have the canopy frame, small numbers on the rudder and the bottom wing insignia, to paint. With any luck, I'll be finished with all the painting by Sunday.

I plan to fly tomorrow if the winds are down...they have been near 20kts for a while now at our flying field. I charged up the P-51B for tomorrows flights and loaded the rig.

Lordy that looks sweet. Can you do me a favor and shoot me a pic of the innards of your fuse and where you stuck air systems etc. Thinking about a spring cleaning of my hellcat.

I don't know if this is wrong, but I feel kinda dirty none the less. I have to confess. I have been flying a helicopter. YES, I said it. It's out in the open. Always been looking at helis but kinda scared of repair costs when lawn dartling them. I got a nice Align 450 pro from a friend that offered a hell of a deal with spare parts (almost a completely exta heli and 2 nice flight packs). Been working on my hover. Put in 10 flights today. Yep, was a nice long day at the field. Taking off the training landing gear tomorrow. We were blessed with 86 degrees today and 3-5 mph winds. Tomorrow whe high pressure cell has completely moved in and I am expecting dead calm. Prefect for my first flight on my new heli with no training gear and actually circuiting the field. Kinda nervous but having a real ball. My hellcat was calling for me today from my van but she got neglected. Most likely will fly her tomorrow after my knees get done knocking after my heli flights.

Status of the engine from TBM? Looks to be about the last part needed. Have a nice day with the p-51!!!

Hi guys,
I managed to get the small numbers painted onto the rudder and the canopy painted, as well as spraying a thin coat of clear on the fuselage insignias. I've just the bottom wing markings to paint to finish up with all the painting. I have to give a lot of credit to Vikie's stencils...they were so easy to use and the results were great.

Now its onto the pneumatic system and radio gear instillation. Yes...I will send you pictures of my air tank and pneumatic system instillation.

Hay Bubba John,
So you went and flew a helicopter...that will not last to long. One mistake and its a re-kit on a helicopter. Now coming from a guy that flew them professionally for 38 years (a few airplanes too), its shear madness. Knowing what it takes to keep one of those infernal rotating machines airborne, is enough to make a sane man fearful. I got into helicopters back when the Heli-Boy was the latest and greatest R/C model helicopter. They cost $350.00 and back then...that was a chunk of change. After a year...I gave up and went back to flying fixed wings. I spent twice as much and flew less then half as much. My first R/C helicopter was the Du-Bro Werly Bird 505 (the first R/C helicopter kit sold in the U.S.), w/torque reaction drive, using a K&B .40 on the top of the rotor mast. Believe it or not...I managed to get that machine to fly...or at least hover very nicely. Then I managed to entangle the main rotors with a steel pole...and that is how that story ended.

I was not just a pilot, but an A&P, with my I/A too. I've had a ton more stuff go south on helicopters then airplanes and with an airplane, you at least have a half a chance to pull off an emergency landing. With a helicopter, its toss out a brick and follow it down...and you get what ever you get, when you pull final pitch. No matter if your low level, at altitude or anywhere in-between...when it gets quiet in a helicopter, or things really start to vibrate a bunch...the pucker factor sucks up your underthings and stuffs them where the sun no-shine. At best your seriously screwed and at worst...your IFR, with a one ton long line-sling load...and your engine gets real quiet. Its when you're young, you really don't have a clue and when you get a bit older and look back...all you hear is..."holy camel ka-ka, Ignorance is bliss."

TBM states one to two weeks...for the engine.

Soft Landings Always Bubba...your going to need all the help you can get... : )
Bobby of Maui

I know flying heliis a fools folly. Really gonna explore this one a bit. Not so interested in 3d heli flight but scale heli warbirds.

You made me laugh so hard on your explanation of the pucker factor and emergencies in flight I spat up lemonade on my screen and keyboard. I know full well the dangers of heliis. Think that is why it is drawing me in so much right now. It's not routine. Out side the comfort zone. The adrenaline from unsure fingers. WHAT A RUSH. don't misunderstand me as I do get a definate rush from flying my large gassers just helicopters are so new now.

Hay Bubba John,
Yep I know the disease. Its the adrenalin rush that does it...but soon that rush...rushes down to your wallet...and that's when sanity returns and you go fly your fixed wings again.

I got up early to fly...but I started to do a little work on the F6F...and I never left to go fly. I will try to fly again tomorrow... : ) ...but this F6F is so gorgeous...all I want to do is work on it. By all the gods...she is one sweet model.

Hay Guys...
My first hick-up on painting my stencils. It seems that I over painted the old decal...and when I pulled off the new Star and Bar...it also pull up the old decal. Grrrrrr !#$%&* ! It can be cleaned up but this was the last stencil I pulled and then this happened.

Now to let everything dry for a couple of day's and tomorrow I will go fly my P-51B and mellow out.

Hay Bubba John,
I finish painting my F6F...at least for now. I did a quick fix to the bottom of the wings, Star and Bar, then installed the gear doors. Next I mounted the wing, set the model on the ground...and took a couple of pictures. Yes sir...its right nice.

I will be starting the air system for the retracts now. There is nothing left to paint...and its time to finish the wing.

I need to go to HNL on Tuesday and tomorrow morning I have an appoint with a dentist. I should have the pneumatics in by weeks end and I will forward some pictures on the instillation.

Flew my P-51B today and it had been a few weeks since I had flown. I'm going out Thursday and next Sunday...no matter what...its fly time. We do have a good bunch of guys in our club and some excellent pilots, as well. Most the guys come out on Tue., Thursday and Saturday.

Hay SkyPilot,
I just do the best I can...and take what I get. I'm getting better as time goes by and making my models more involved and complex as I build. This has been a challenge to take this model and make it something to be proud of. I had a lot of rework to do and though no were near perfect...well worth the effort. I know every flaw on the model...but there comes a time...to pull the chocks, and go fly.

Hay Bubba John,
I managed to figure out my mount for the air tank, servo/linkage & valve + the Robart emergency down unit. I will have it installed tomorrow and I'll send you pictures then. Its quite simple really and rubber bands hold the air tank down onto the mounts. I like all my stuff easy to remove and replace...also easy to repair. I know of a couple of guys that glued in their air tanks...and later had a real fun time replacing their tanks. Also the main platform will held down with Velcro and the stuff I use has a real strong hold. All removable and replaceable and I've never had the Velcro come off on its own.

I'm stoked my engine is inbound and that will mean I'll have the engine installed on the airframe, to get all the connections correct the first time. I'll final the fuel system...but my Roto 16oz. tank has yet to arrive. Roto fuel tanks are well worth the cost...they are bullet proof and solve a lot of fuel deliver issues. My first gas engine model had one and I never had a fuel delivery issue with the model. Several guys in our club switched over to Roto tanks and that is all they use.

How do you do your take offs Bubba John...and how does your model handle on take off?

Hey Bobby. For take offs I just turn off throttle hold, move to idle up mode and move cyclic to positive pitch.....hahaha. Ok assuming hell cat take offs. When I had a two blade prop take offs were like any larger war bird. Typical left tracking desire and needed right rudder. Nothing too extreme. Hellcat does not have the largest rudder bit I found the tail wheel pretty effective and no issues when the tail got off the ground. 3 bladed prop is more difficult. The p effect is pretty strong. I start off my tale off roll and slowly build speed. Slower than with 2 blade for sure. Have to be on rudder almost from the moment it starts rolling it seems. I make sure my climb outs are pretty shallow to avoid stall. I found the benefit of a larger 3 blade on landing kinda acting like a brake was pretty nice. The hellcat can slow almost too much with full flaps on landing so beware. I don't use flaps on take off and I see no pitch change when flaps are deployed. If you fly war birds you will be fine on take offs. When I did switch to the 3 blade prop I did have 3 tale offs that really went left towards the end of the take off roll. Was kinda a shock. Much like my me109 used to be. Alas it was just a learning curve and now it's just second nature.